Sectional wind-shield for automobiles.



A. L. WOODW-ARD. SEGTIONAL WIND SHIELD FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. 1909.

959,188.- Patented May 24,1910.

2 BHEBTB-SHBBT 1.

A. L'. WOODWARD. SEGTIONAL WIND SHIELD FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1909.

Patented May 24:, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- Fgm 116, 25 fimmz Tgffi 1 54.9

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT LORENZO WOODWARD, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO E. F. ROGERS & COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SECTIONAL WIND-SHIELD FOR AUTOMOBILES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. WOODWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sectional iVind-Shields for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to wind shields for automobiles; and my object is to provide a sectional wind shield having its upper section arranged to fold inwardly upon the lower section regardless of the proximity of the steering wheel of the vehicle.

A further object is to so construct the upper foldable section that it may, when desired, be adjusted to form an awning, adapted to protect the driver from the weather, and yet give a clear and unobstructed view ahead.

The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Briefly stated, my device comprises two sections hinged together. The upper section is arranged to fold upon the lower, and is also arranged to slide upon its hinged connection with said lower section. The transparent part of the upper section is hinged at its top to the upper part of the shield frame, with its lower side adapted to be swung outwardly and upwardly to any desired angle, to form an awning, said section being provided at its lower sides with adjustable braces for locking and holding it in the desired position.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an edge elevation of my wind shield, with both the folded and the awning positions of the upper section indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of my device with the top section in its upward vertical position. Fig. 3 is a broken view on an enlarged scale, illustrating the construction of the more important parts of the frame of my device. Fig. 4 is an edge view of Fig. 3 looking to the left. Fig. 5 shows the opposite side of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the upper section of one of the hinges which connect the upper and lower sections of the shield frame. Fig. 7 is a view of Fig. 6 looking to the left. Fig. 8 is a side elevation Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 25, 1909.

Patented May 24., 1910.

Serial No. 498,283.

of the lower section of one of the hinges of my device. Fig. 9 is a view of Fig. 8 looking to the left. Fig. 10 is a view of the reverse side of Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of Fig. 10, taken on the line 1111 looking downwardly. Fig. 12 is a top plan View of Fig. 6. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the brace bar of the folding or awning section of my device. Fig. 1 1 is an edge elevation of Fig. 13 looking to the left. Fig. 15 is a View of the screw which holds the upper end of the brace bar, just referred to, in operative position upon the adjusting slide illustrated in Fig. 17 Fig. 16 is a top plan of Fig. 9. Fig. 17 is a central section of the adjusting slide of the upper or awning section of my device. Fig. 18 illustrates one of the joints upon which the upper transparent section of my shield is hinged to the top of the shield frame. Fig. 19 shows an edge elevation of the sash or frame which carries the transparent portion of the up per section of my shield. Fig. 20 shows a side elevation of Fig. 19, looking to the right. Fig. 21 is a top plan of the screw used to connect the lower end of the awning brace with the lower side of the sash just referred to. Fig. 22 is a side elevation of Fig. 21; and, Fig. 23 is a sectional view of one of the hinge joints connecting the upper and lower sections of my device.

The lower section of my wind shield consists of a frame composed of the lower bar 1, and the side bars 2 and 3, carrying the section at, of glass or other transparent material, mounted therein. The upper section consists of the top bar 5 and the side bars 6 and 7, within which is suitably mounted the upper transparent section 8.

The lower section of my shield is provided at the lower corners of its frame, with the inwardly inclined foot sections 1 and 1 which are provided with slots A (illustrated in Fig. 1) for the reception of the base board B of the automobile to which the shield is secured.

The side bars 2 and 3 of the lower section of my shield frame, are secured to the side bars 6 and 7 respectively, of the upper sections by the hinges D, each formed of the lower part D and the upper part D Each lower section D is provided with the opposite downwardly extending sections 9, having their inner faces concaved (Fig. 11) to each provided with lugs 11 and 12, having alined apertures and spaced apart from each other sufliciently to receive between them the tongues 13 of the upper hinge sections D and said lugs and tongues are provided with registering apertures 11*, 12*, and 13*, respectively, which are adapted to receive a suitable pin 14 (illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 5), which forms the pivot for the V hinges. The lower hinge section D has at one side of its top, at a right angle to the axis of the hinge, a flat locking plate 15, provided with a curved slot 16 concentric with the joint of the hinge; and at the inner end of this slot is a flared recess 17. The upper section D of the hinge is thickened on one side at its lower end as indicated at 18 which thickened portion is flat on its outside (Figs. 7 and 12). This fiat face is also at right angles to the joint of the hinge and when i the upper and lower parts of the shield frame are in their normal positions relatively to each other, the flat face of the upper section D is adapted to fit the inner face of the locking plate 15 of the lower section D The upper section D of the hinge has at its lower end, vertical slots 19, diametrically opposite each other, and of the same width as the slot 16 of the section D the outer one of said slots 19 being central of said flat face 18, and both slots extending upwardly a sufficient distance to bring their upper ends into horizontal alinement with the inner end of the slot 16. The slot in the fiat face of the upper section I) is also provided at its upper end with a flared recess 20 in said face, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 23 which shows the hinge sections and their cooperating parts in operative relation to each other, the lower part of the upper frame section 7 is provided with a transverse bore 21, in one end of which bore is rigidly screwed the threadsleeve 22 which extends outwardly through the flared recesses 17 and 20, at the inner ends of the slots 16 and 19 of the hinge sections, and projects beyond said sections at the outer side of the hinge. Upon this projecting portion of the threaded sleeve 22 is mounted the hollow binding or clamping nut 23 having its reduced inner end 24L provided with a conical face 25 adapted to fit and engage the flared recesses 17 and 20 of the hinge sections in locking engagement therewith when desired.

The inner end of the bore 21 of the side bar 7 of the frame, is provided with a collar 26 rigidly secured therein and having an internal threaded opening 27 in alinement with the central opening 22 of the sleeve 22. Extending'through these two alined open ings is the winged bolt 28, having its inner threaded end 28 adapted to project sufficiently to engage the central aperture of the screw in the lower end of the brace bar illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14:, as will be presently more fully explained. Adjacent its threaded outer end 28 the bolt 28 is provided with the reduced section 28 said latter section being reduced to permit it to pass the threads in the collar 26; and adjacent the inner end of this reduced section 28 is the further reduced section 28, which passes through the open space 21 between the inner ends of the sleeve 22 and the collar 26. Extending upwardly into the open space 21 is the small screw or pintle 29, having its inner end in close proximity to the reduced section 28 of the winged bolt to prevent the bolt from being accidentally removed from the sleeve 22.

The side bar 7 of the upper frame section of my device is bent inwardly as at 7 and this inwardly bent end is provided with a threaded opening into which is securely received the pin 30 (Fig. 18), and the projecting end of this pin is received into a suitable bore 31 in the end of the upper bar 5 of the frame, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. It is, of course understood that the bar 5 is provided at its other end with a pin connection with the frame similar to that just described, and that these connections form hinges or pivots upon which the upper transparent section of the frame swings, since said transparent section is in a frame 32 carried by said bar 5.

I will now describe the adjusting and looking mechanism which I employ with this frame 32; and as the mechanism is exactly the same at each end or side of the frame, I will simply describe the construction as it appears in connection with the side bar 7 at the right side of the frame as illustrated in Fig. 2. Mounted on the side bar 7 and normally at the upper end thereof, is the tubular slide 33, adapted to slide up and down on said bar and provided with a set screw 34 for locking the slide at any desired point on said bar. On the inner side of the slide 33 is a tubular boss 35 having its central opening 36 threaded. The upper end of the awning bar 37 is received upon the boss 35 by means of the bore 38 in said bar, and is held on said boss by the screw 39 which is received into the opening 36 of the boss, and has a flat face 40 which abuts against the end of the boss. The opening 38 is reamed to receive the head of the screw 39 flush with the inner face of the bar 37, which is interposed between the slide 33 and the frame 32. The lower end of the bar 37 is received upon the conical boss 40 (Fig. 20) of the frame 32 by means of the opening 41 in said bar, which opening is of a size and shape to fit said boss. This end of the bar is held on said boss by means of the screw 42 which is received into the threaded opening 43 which opening passes centrally through said boss. The outer side of the opening 41 is reamed sufliciently to cause the head of the screw 42 to be flush with the outer face of the bar 37.

From the construction thus described it will be seen that if the set screw 34 be loosened to permit the slide 33 to move freely upon the bar 7, the frame 32 may be swung upon the pins 30, without interference from the slide 33 which will simply be moved up and down the bar 7 by means of the awning brace bar 37 as the bottom of the frame is moved back and forth; but if the slide 33 be clamped to the frame bar 7, the frame 32 will be held in whatever position it may have been caused to assume at that time, and the bar 37 will serve as a brace to hold it in position, as illustrated, for instance, in dotted lines in Fig. 1, in which the slide 33 has been moved to its lowest position to throw the frame 32 into its awning position. When the slide 33 is in its uppermost position, the upper section 8 of the shield will be in its vertical position, and the threaded opening 44 of the screw 42, at the lower end of the brace bar 37, will be immediately opposite the threaded end 28 of the winged bolt 28, and when this bolt is screwed into this opening, the frame 32 of the upper transparent section 8 is securely held in its vertical posi tion, and locked against lateral movement. When it is desired to bring the frame 32 into exact vertical position to be locked in that position by the end 28 of the bolt 28, the lower edge of the frame is simply swung inwardly into engagement with the stop D (Figs. 5, 7, and 12) on the upper hinge section D The outer frame of the upper section of my shield is locked in its vertical position by screwing the conical inner end 25 of the clamping nut 23 into the flared recess 17 of the lower hinge section, as illustrated in Fig. 23; and the entire frame is braced against lateral strain by the rod 45, which engages the opening 46 in the flat part 15 of the lower hinge section D At the bottom of my shield frame on the inside thereof are the rests 47, which support the upper section of my shield when it is folded inwardly into the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The operation of my device is as follows :Beginning with the upper section of the shield frame in its vertical position, first loose the binding nuts 23 out of engagement with the flared opening 17 in the lower sections D of the hinges, which will permit the top section of the shield frame to be swung backwardly on said hinges. WVhen it has approached the horizontal position the side bars 6 and 7 are slid forwardly through the upper tubular hinge sections D a suflicient distance to permit the top bar 5 to pass the guide wheel of the automobile. It is then folded in against the inner side of the lower section of the shield, and the bars 6 and 7 are permitted to slide downwardly through the tubular sections D of the hinges till the top bar 5 rests upon the supports 47. The binding nuts 23 are then screwed up on the sleeves 22 into engagement with the flared recesses 20 to securely hold the folded section in position. When it is desired to restore in the folded section to its normal position, the operation just described is reversed.

It will be noticed that the slots 19 of the upper hinge sections D form ways for the passage of the sleeves 22 and the collars 26 into and out of their operative positions in the upper hinge section D when the side bars 6 and 7 are slid back and forth in said hinge sections. hen the sleeves 22 and the collars 28 engage the inner ends of the slots 19, they form stops which prevent the side bars 6 and 7 from being withdrawn from the tubular hinge sections D To change the upper section of my shield from its vertical position to its awning position, first, unscrew the winged bolt 28 out of engagement with the lower end of the awning brace 37; then swing the lower side of the frame 32 outwardly and upwardly, which will cause the tubular slides 33 to move downwardly upon the bars 6 and 7, and the bars 37 to project forwardly and upwardly to form braces at each end of the frame 32 to securely hold it in its awning position. When it has thus been brought to the position desired, it is locked by simply clamping the tubular slides to the bars 6 and 7 by means of the set screws 34.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my improved wind shield, I yet do not limit myself to the exact construction shown, but desire protection on all that comes within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In sectional wind shields for automobiles, a shield frame comprising a lower fixed section; an upper folding section; and rotatable connections between said sections, the upper section being loosely mounted on said rotatable connections and adapted to slide thereon in a direction at right angles to the axis of its rotation, whereby to permit the upper folding section to slide on its support, to decrease the radius of the circle described thereby in folding.

2. In wind shields for automobiles, a

shield frame comprising a fixed lower section and an upper section; hinges secured to and carried by the fixed section of the frame, said hinges having tubular upper sections slidably receiving the upper section of the frame, said upper sections of the hinges being adapted to swing rearwardly to permit the swinging section of the frame to slide forwardly and rearwardly upon the fixed lower section when brought into an oblique position relatively thereto; and means for locking said sections of the hinges in fixed relation to each other. e

3. In wind shields for automobiles, a shield frame comprising a lower section an upper section adapted to fold upon the lower section; a support for engaging the upper section when in its folded position; hinges having lower sections adapted to rigidly engage the lower section of the frame and upper sections adapted to slidably engage the upper section of the frame; said hinges being adapted to permit the upper folding section of the frame to slide forwardly upon the other when brought to an oblique position relatively thereto; and locking means carried by the upper section of the frame, and adapted to engage the lower hinge section to lock the two parts of the frame in operative relation to each other, and also adapted to engage the upper section of the hinge when the upper section of the frame is resting upon said support in its folded position to lock the same in said position.

4. In sectional wind shields for automobiles, a shield frame having a lower section and an upper sliding section; hinges having lower sections adapted to be secured to the lower section of the frame and upper sec tions adapted to slidably engage the upper section of the frame, said lower hinge sections each having a portion provided with a slot concentric with the pivot of the hinge and further provided with a flared recess around the inner end of said slot; transverse threaded sleeves carried by the upper section of the frame and adapted to pass into said concentric slots to the inner ends thereof when the upper section of the frame is brought into its operative position; and a binding nut mounted upon said projecting sleeve and having its inner end adapted to fit said flared recess in the lower section of the hinge to lock the upper section of the frame in its operative position upon the lower section.

5. In sectional wind shields for automobiles, a shield frame having a lower section and an upper folding section; hinges having lower sections adapted to be rigidly secured to the lower section of the frame and tubular upper sections adapted to slidably engage the upper section of the frame, said tubular hinge sections having vertical slots extending upwardly from their lower ends with flared recesses surrounding the upper ends of said slots, said lower hinge sections each having a portion provided with a slot concentric with the pivot of the hinge and also provided around the inner end of said slot with a flared recess similar to the flared recesses of the upper hinge sections; transverse projecting sleeves carried by the upper section of the frame and passing out through the upper ends of the vertical slots in the upper sections of the hinges, and adapted to enter and pass laterally into the concentric slots in the lower hinge sections as the upper section of the frame is brought from its folding to its operative position, the inner ends of said concentric slots of the lower hinge sections being adapted to be in alinement with the upper ends of the slots in the upper hinge sections when the upper section of the frame is brought to its operative position; and threaded binding nuts mounted upon said projecting sleeves and having their inner ends adapted to engage and fit said flared recesses in the upper and lower hinge sections, the former to lock the upper section of the frame against sliding movement on its hinge sections when it is in its folded position and the latter to lock it in its operative position.

6. In wind shields for automobiles, a shield frame having a lower section and an upper section; hinges formed with upper and lower sections for connecting said upper and lower frame sections together, and adapting the upper section to fold upon the lower section; tubular transversely projecting sleeves carried by the upper section of the frame and adapted to extend outwardly through said hinge connections; binding nuts mounted upon said sleeves for engaging the upper hinge connect-ions to lock the upper folding section of the frame in rigid engagement with the lower section; thumb bolts extending through said tubular sleeves and adapted to be projected inwardly beyond the inner sides of said hinge connections, said bolts being provided with threads at their projecting ends; and an inner frame for carrying a section of transparent material, said frame being mounted to swing in the upper section of the shield frame with its lower side edges opposite said thumb bolts when in its vertical position, said inner frame being provided with means adapted to be engaged by the projecting inner ends of said thumb bolts to lock it in rigid relation to the upper section of the frame.

7. In wind shields for automobiles, a shield frame comprising a fixed section and a folding section; hinges connecting said sections, the fixed section of the frame being rigidly connected to one wing of each hinge and the folding section being slidably connected to the other wing to slide thereon in a direction at right angles to the axis of the hinge whereby to permit the folding section of the frame to slide upon the fixed section to decrease the radius of the circle described thereby in folding.

8. In wind shields for automobiles, a shield frame comprising a lower section adapted to carry a section of transparent material; an upper section hinged to the lower section to fold downwardly thereupon; locking means carried by the upper section of the frame at said hinged connections for holding the upper section in rigid relation to the lower section; an inner frame mounted in the upper section of the shield frame to carry a section of transparent material and adapted to swing from the upper side of said section in an outward upward direction into an awning position; brace bars interposed between the sides of said inner frame and the sides of said upper section of the outer frame; tubular slides pivotally connected to the upper ends of said brace bars and adapted to slide on the outer frame; means at the lower ends of said brace bars for pivotally connecting them with the sides of said inner frame; bolts carried by said tubular slides for locking the same in adjusted engagement with the shield frame; and bolts carried by said locking mechanism at the hinges of the frame and adapted to engage the apertures at the lower ends of the interposed brace bars to hold said inner frame in rigid relation to the upper section of the outer frame when the two are brought to occupy the same plane.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT LORENZO WOODWARD.

WVitnesses:

JAMES H. WoLrn, JAS. A. BOYER. 

